Jennifer Boss, whose daughter’s body was discovered in a dumpster in suburban Chicago, recently met with President Donald Trump. She recalled the poignant moment when she told him to “watch what happens.”
In a discussion with FOX News Digital, Boss shared that she is part of a group known as “angel families,” comprised of relatives affected by crimes committed by immigrants. Her meeting with Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was during a memorial service, an experience she described as “inspiring.” She reflected on how important it felt to be heard in a world where they often go unnoticed.
This meeting wasn’t Boss’s first encounter with Trump. Previously, at a White House event, she had expressed her worries that Illinois’ sanctuary policies might allow the man accused of killing her daughter to walk free.
“My daughter was missing for two months,” Boss recounted. “When she was finally found in a bleach-filled dumpster behind the house of an illegal immigrant in Lake County, Illinois, the suspect was arrested that same day but released shortly thereafter.”
She vividly remembered how, as Trump walked by, she called out to him, briefly sharing her plight. “He looked at me, shaking his head, clearly upset,” she said. Trump then pointed and told her, “See what happens.”
Following her daughter’s death, the suspect, Jose Mendoza Gonzalez, was detained by immigration officials, although there was initially reluctance to hold him. “It’s shocking to think they would let someone capable of such terrible acts back into the community,” Boss noted.
In her short conversation with Trump — lasting only about 20 or 30 seconds — Boss emphasized that he grasped her desperation and chose to act. “I’m just a regular mom, a grandma, nothing special,” she said. “But he paid attention and made me feel like my concerns mattered.”
On another note, she expressed disappointment that Illinois’ Democratic Governor, J.B. Pritzker, has never reached out to her regarding her daughter’s case. “Not once has he mentioned Meghan’s name,” she lamented.
Joe Abraham, another member of the “angel family” group, also attended the memorial. His daughter, Katie, was killed by an illegal immigrant in a drunk-driving accident while stopped at a traffic light in Urbana, Illinois. Following her death, a significant immigration crackdown named “Operation Midway Blitz” was launched, resulting in numerous arrests.
Abraham pointed out how challenging it is to untangle Katie’s tragic fate from the political context surrounding it. He described her as a “beautiful soul” who shouldn’t have died because of someone else’s reckless actions.
He addressed Governor Pritzker directly, seeking clarity on the policies that led to his daughter’s death. Abraham admitted to having mixed feelings about memorializing such tragedies but acknowledged that Trump “gets it.”
“It’s sad that we need a day to remember victims killed by illegal immigrants,” he sighed. “Katie was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it’s the result of dangerous and irresponsible policies that show no signs of changing under current Democratic leadership.”
